Strange love
by ArtemisApollo97
Summary: Just a short fic for Leyna ship week. Leo first meets Reyna and she tries to kill him. Relationship extends from there and I'm too lazy to do a proper summary/think of one. Inspired by FieldOfPaperFlowers' 'Meeting Leo' and 'Meeting Reyna'. Hope you don't mind! T for some swearing


**Leyna one-shot for Leyna ship week. It's not much, I just wanted to do something/ I've got writer's block.**

**To appease our SOPA rivals, I do not own Percy Jackson and co. Louisa, my OC, is in this, but no Leoisa. And this is mostly inspired by FieldOfPaperFlowers' 'Meeting Leo' and 'Meeting Reyna'. If you haven't read those, read them.**

* * *

First the talking, armless statue; then the Percabeth reunion (Leo wondered how long Annabeth would keep Percy alive) and then… her.

Deep hazel eyes and jet black hair pulled back in a neat braid. Her armour shone beneath her purple cloak and she stared at them with a cool leadership, her eyes scanning them as if attempting to detect any threat. Either side of her stood two automaton greyhounds, one golden and one silver. They were true works of art and Leo would give his arm to study them, but they seemed to know he was watching them and growled menacingly.

"Heel." The girl said sternly, fixing her eyes on Leo briefly. He offered a smile as the dogs sat and fell silent. She turned her gaze to Jason. "So you are alive."

"Hi Reyna." Reyna. Leo bit his lip to stop himself smiling like an idiot. That translated from Spanish to 'queen'. She definitely had an air of royalty about her. Superior to Leo and obviously way out of his league.

Hence why he liked her.

_Dammit Leo!_ He cursed silently. _Always these ones, Leo. Why'd you do this to yourself?_

"Welcome home." Reyna said curtly. Jason smiled at her. Reyna's gaze studied him, flicking down to see his hand linked with Piper's. _Uh oh,_ Leo thought_, he is gonna be in _big_ trouble. _

Reyna glanced at Leo again before turning to talk to Percy. "I have your word the Greeks are safe?" Percy nodded, giving a reassuring smile. His arm was around Annabeth's shoulders, her arms around his waist. "Very well."

Leo hadn't met Percy before, obviously, and he had heard a lot about him. Having been working with Annabeth on the Argo II, she had told him quite a bit about her missing boyfriend and it was nice to see her smile at the pleasant memories they had shared. Studying Percy, Leo could see why Annabeth liked the guy so much. He wore a purple cloak like Reyna, which seemed to be some clue of importance. Leaning towards Jason, Leo quietly asked, "What are the purple cloaks for?"

"Praetors." Jason muttered back. "They run the camp."

"Dammit…" Jason looked at him curiously over his shoulder. Leo gave a cheeky smile. "Nothing."

Approaching footsteps caught their attention and they looked round to see Annabeth, Percy and two others.

Percy surprised them by removing his purple cloak and holding it out to Jason, who seemed the most shocked.

"I'm Percy." He gave a friendly smile.

"Jason." The two shook hands. "Apparently, you cause a lot of trouble." Percy's grin turned sarcastic.

"Obviously." Percy turned to Piper, who introduced herself, shaking his hand.

"This is Leo." Piper said. "That's his ship." Percy looked up.

"Bloody hell…" He muttered. Then his grin came back. "That's awesome." Leo grinned in return, shaking Percy's hand. "This is Hazel and muscle-man here is Frank."

"Hi."

"Muscle-man?" Percy smirked at Frank.

"Seaweed Brain, be nice." Annabeth ordered, but her tone was light and she was smiling, holding Percy's hand as if she daren't let go.

"I am." Annabeth rolled her eyes, muttering 'stupid Seaweed Brain'.

Leo glanced around Percy to see where Reyna had gone. She was talking to some blonde guy with blue eyes dressed in a bed sheet with animal plush toys hanging from his belt.

"Who's that dude?" He asked. They all followed his gaze.

"Ew, why's he still here?"

"Hi, Lou." Percy grinned. Louisa landed a solid punch to his arm.

"I hate you."

"Not as much as Octavian." Percy nodded at the teddy bear guy.

"A very close second." Louisa muttered. A silent conversation seemed to pass between the Poseidon twins.

"Wise-girl, she's gonna kick my ass later."

"Good." Percy stared at her. "What? You deserve it for scaring us like that."

"Oh, yeah. 'Cos I asked Hera… Juno… whatever her bloody name is to kidnap me, make me lose my memories and get stuck here with guys like him." Percy jabbed a finger at Octavian.

"He's one of a kind." Hazel told Percy pointedly.

"Still. Lou!"

"Ha!"

"Lou, come back!" Leo watched as his best friend made a beeline for Reyna and Octavian. She shoved Octavian out of the way and struck up a conversation with Reyna, waving her hands in the air and pointing out several things around her. Reyna shook her head and said something in reply. Leo wanted to go over and talk to Reyna himself, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She seemed so out-of-bounds, so high and mighty and so powerful, Leo felt like he should be grovelling at her feet or something.

Jason nudged him.

"Don't stare." He advised.

"I wasn't." Leo argued automatically. Jason gave him the Look. "What?"

"She will bury you alive if you're not careful." Leo grinned.

"I like her even more now." Jason groaned in annoyance while the others laughed.

"Leo, you're a hopeless case sometimes, you know that?"

"Oh, so _supportive_, Sparky." Leo gave Jason a light push to the arm, waving it off. "Will she really bury me alive?"

"Most likely."

"Awesome."

"It's that or her dogs will eat you."

"I'm going to go and say hi."

"That's a death wish." Percy chipped in. Leo waved that off as well.

"I get those all the time. Ciao." He bounced off towards Reyna, purposefully colliding with Louisa. "Hi!" He beamed at both of them. Octavian was sulking next to Reyna, glowering at Louisa.

"What'd ya want?" Louisa demanded.

"I can say 'hi', can't I?"

"No."

"But-"

"Shut up, Valdez."

"Louisa, let him speak."

"He's annoyin'." Reyna's gaze slid to the side, motioning at Octavian. Louisa grinned in agreement.

"I'm Leo." Leo smiled, holding his hand out to Reyna. She briefly shook his hand and Leo felt a warm tingle work its way up his arm. She dropped her hand, tucking both of her hands behind her back.

"Louisa tells me you built that ship."

"Yeah, I did." Leo grinned.

"It's very good."

"Ver-?" Leo started to protest. Louisa elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Thanks." Leo settled with.

"Would you be so kind to show Octavian it? He thinks you Greeks are out to attack us."

"Well, that's not very good. What's with the teddies though? Are you going on a teddy bear picnic or something?" Octavian scowled at him. Louisa sighed irritably, hiding her face in her hands. Reyna didn't react, but amusement glittered in her eyes. Leo smiled. "Come on them Octo."

"Octo?"

"Don't ask." Louisa's voice was muffled from behind her hands. Leo casually threw an arm around Octavian, purposefully annoying him further.

"Do you like tofu burgers or marshmallows?"

* * *

Leo woke up some time later with a splitting headache. He was in his room on the Argo II. Frank was sat on a chair on the other side of the room. Frank was glaring at him for reasons unbeknownst to Leo.

Sitting up, Leo's vision swam and the pain in his head increased.

"What's going on?" He murmured sleepily. Frank frowned. "What?" The door opened and Louisa walked in. She watched Leo warily, before ordering Frank out. Even though he was three times her size, he knew better than to ignore her. "Lou?"

"Ya bombed Camp Jupiter."

"_What_?!" Louisa explained everything. "No, I… I don't remember doing that." Louisa held his gaze. "I didn't do that." She held his gaze for a few seconds.

"I believe you." She finally said. Relief surged through him. "Problem is that we've now got some very angry Romans after us 'n' you've gotta convince the others." She handed him a canteen of nectar and left.

Leo sat on his bed for twenty minutes, getting his head around what he had been told while sipping on nectar.

His thoughts rambled to Reyna. Oh gods, she was going to hate him now…

And he was right.

Following the war **(I'm being optimistic) **and finally meeting up with Reyna outside of battle, she tried to kill him. Several times.

Thankfully, somebody was close by to pull her away, like Percy or Frank or Jason or somebody Leo had fought alongside.

"He fired on my camp!" Reyna protested, her cold mask slipping and revealing the pent up anger.

"Whoa, no I didn't." She glowered at him, shrugging off her captors. She braced her shoulders and stood straight and tall, every bit of royalty in her praetor's cape and battle armour. Leo hurriedly explained about the eidolon that had possessed him. Percy **(I'm also nice enough to keep Percabeth out of Tartarus) **and Jason backed him up, stating how they had been under the control of the evil spirits.

"They're all liars!"

"Shut it, Octavian!" Louisa snapped. Octavian glared at her and Louisa met it stubbornly, her jaw clenching in sheer defiance. There was a promise of immense pain if he didn't back down _right now_.

Leo held Reyna's gaze until her dogs appeared either side of her. There were a few scratches and dents on their hides, but they seemed fine.

"My dogs can detect liars and are programmed to maim or kill whoever lies to me." Reyna told him.

"Smart dogs." Leo mumbled.

"Repeat your story. If you are telling the truth, you shall live." Leo nodded, casting a wary eye over the dogs before doing as she had asked.

The dogs didn't attack him.

"You are telling the truth." Reyna stated. "On behalf of New Rome…" She paused, as if she was struggling with her next words, "You are forgiven." Octavian's scowl deepened, but Louisa's murderous glare was still on him, so he kept quiet.

"I need to sit down." Leo mumbled. He was so relieved, he felt weak at the knees. Someone grabbed his elbow and steadied him.

* * *

Over the following month, the camps had to mingle- two weeks at Camp Half-Blood and then two weeks at Camp Jupiter. Leo, being one of the Seven, had to stick with the others when the celebrations started. Normally, he enjoyed all this attention, but after three days, he had a raging headache, coffee withdrawal and the need to visit his Bunker.

He strolled along, taking in the orange-pink sky, tinged by the setting sun. Everybody was at the party- Louisa and Percy had caused a distraction for him to escape- but Leo really needed to escape all those organic life forms. Right bunch of nutjobs…

Leo appeared to not be the only one trying to escape the party. He saw a figure with two shiny things trotting either side of them towards the Big House. He changed direction and stumbled after them.

The two shiny things growled at him as he approached and their owner turned to face him.

"If it isn't my camp's bomber."

"I said I was sorry."

"There was a lot of damage."

"I can help fix it." Leo offered, smiling. Reyna studied him for a few seconds. "Are you always this serious?"

"I am a praetor. I have duties to attend to and a responsibility to uphold."

"So? A little smile never hurt." She turned a dismissive back on him, her dogs falling in step beside her. "Your dogs are a bit battered. I could fix that for you."

"I'll ask one of the Vulcan children to take care of it."

"Why? Don't trust me?" Leo knew he should have kept his mouth shut, but his ADHD could not resist the urge to tease her slightly.

She turned sharply, her braid swishing out to the side in a deadly arch while the dimming light from the sunset made her eyes seem lighter, glinting with malice.

"You endangered my camp and its people. That is every reason not to trust you."

"That was an eidolon, which you know about and I did say I was sorry." Leo added pointedly. "Besides, never judge a book by its cover." He grinned.

"This one doesn't have a very good cover." Leo blinked, his grin slipping.

"Was that a joke?" She didn't answer, turning away to walk off again. "Whoa, whoa, whoa- uptight praetor told a joke!"

"I do not have time for your childish antics."

"Why?"

"I have to speak with Chiron."

"Why?"

"There are matters to attend to."

"Why?" The dogs growled at him and Leo took a few steps back to be safe.

Reyna sighed, running a hand wearily over her face. "Are you OK?"

"I am tired. I have a lot of work to do and not much time."

"Anything I can help with?"

"No." She paused. "Thank you."

"You look like you could do with a coffee." Leo told her. "I could make you a Leo-special." She seemed tempted at the idea of coffee. Leo bounced around the metal greyhounds and put a friendly hand on her shoulder. "Come on." He turned her around.

"Where are we going?"

"To my happy place." She looked at him quizzically. "Bunker 9. It's my hidey hole away from nosy organic life forms." A dog butted its head against his leg sharply. "You'll like it." Leo told her. "It's away from everything and you could sit and do your work with coffee and music while I do my work."

"Your work?"

"I tinker." Leo replied, waggling his fingers and putting on a crazed smile. Reyna just nodded, glancing up at the gleaming bulk of the Argo II.

As they walked in silence, Leo was doing his best to come up with something to say to this amazing young woman who was incredibly way out of his league.

"Did you not want to be at the party?" He asked.

"No."

"Why?"

"My Romans deserve a little bit of a break, but I feel a bit… useless. A praetor doesn't have much to do during such occasions."

"What about Jason and Percy? They're your praetor buddies, right?"

"Percy was with Annabeth. Jason was with _her_."

"Piper?" Reyna gave a tight nod. "Don't you like her?"

"She seems OK."

"But?" Reyna bit her lip. Leo thought she was probably wondering why on Earth she was talking to this crazy idiot, let alone agreeing to go to some Bunker 9 with him, someone she barely knew. Maybe she was giving him a chance because she thought he was smoking hot and adorable?

_Get a grip, Leo!_ He scolded himself. Maybe she was just bored and looking for someone to pick on, like Louisa did- befriending him first and then kill him later for 'endangering' her camp.

"Before Jason… disappeared… I- I believed there was… _something_ between us."

_Uh oh,_ Leo immediately thought. "But then he had the audacity to return with a daughter of Venus on his arm as if I was nothing but a distant memory to him."

"He did have amnesia." Leo felt obliged to stick up for his best friend, but the sour look Reyna kept him quiet. "What do you think now?"

"I don't know. I'm so used to having a plan of sorts to follow, but now… with everything over and only the celebrations and clean-up left to do, I don't seem to have much of a plan at all."

"Well, could you make one and squeeze in some time to come and see me?" She frowned at him in confusion. "You know, for some… non-automaton company."

"Non-automaton company?" He nodded. "I like my dogs."

"They're awesome, don't get me wrong. They're just not very sociable."

* * *

Over the next two weeks, Reyna spent quite a bit of time, surprisingly, with Leo in Bunker 9. He didn't mind her company, except he had to be a bit careful when it came to exploding inventions. Her dogs never left her side. She seemed happy to have someone to talk to, although she didn't reveal anything personal.

Not that Leo dared ask. She would have his head if asked too much about her.

After the first week, she appeared to have forgiven him. She even _smiled_ at his lame jokes. Leo had to hold her face in his hands and study her from all angles.

"You smile?" He asked. "I didn't know you could smile." She hit his hands away, glowering at him. Leo grinned easily, hoping that was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "So, looking forward to going back to your camp then?"

"I don't know." He looked up at that. "As much as the Greek system is alien to me and lacks a sense of order, I find it oddly relaxing here."

"That's 'cos I'm here." She shot him The Look. "Carry on, _reina_."

"Back home, all I have is work and people expecting me to lead them through everything." She sighed. "Being a praetor gives me a sense of direction with my life, but it is also a taxing job with so much weighing on it. With Jason having gone AWOL and Percy turning up and only recently elected praetor, I've been running the camp on my own."

"Oh, you poor thing." She glared at him. "Did I sound sarcastic? I didn't mean to. I just ooze sarcasm- it leaks in sometimes." He gave a sheepish smile, to which she rolled her eyes at. "Won't things be better with Jason back though?"

"That depends how much time he spends playing googly-eyes with that daughter of Venus."

"Piper." Leo muttered, turning back to his work. Reyna was quiet for a few seconds.

"Are you not happy for them?"

"Of course I am!" Leo looked back at her. "I just… I…" Damn organic life forms and emotions. "I feel… like the third part. The seventh wheel. Whatever. I just don't fit in with the others. They're all paired up and buddy-buddy with each other and then there's me, sitting in a corner roasting marshmallows in my hand and-"

"Roasting marshmallows in your hand?" Leo felt busted. Would she see his fire as another weapon, like Frank, or would she marvel in it and agree to date him?

Leo seriously doubted that last option, but he had no choice now. He had walked right into that one.

"Yeah… I'm a… weird son of Hephaestus." He set his hand on fire, noticing how she went wide-eyed with shock. He patted the flames out on his thigh.

"That's amazing."

"No it's not."

"Yes. Leo, that power is incredible." Leo sighed. _Not when it kills your own madre_. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine." He replied bitterly, returning to his work. He noticed his hands were shaking.

He had told Louisa about his madre. Well, she had found him an emotional heap on the floor in the control room and demanded to know why. It's not like Leo dared to disobey. And he felt a bit better afterwards, having got it off his chest, but he was worried Louisa would shun him. Reyna wasn't like Louisa. She would most likely shun him should she ever find out the truth. As far as Leo knew, only Louisa and himself knew.

* * *

Leo was flying his ship, taking the Romans and the Greeks to Camp Jupiter. This was going to be fun. More Romans that hated his guts.

"Lou, can you stop throwing marshmallows at me?"

"Roast them then, Torch."

"I'm driving."

"Auto-pilot." She bounced another marshmallow off his head. Leo turned and sent a torrent of fire after the next one, letting it fall to the ground in a burnt, gloopy blob. "Ew… I ain't eatin' that." Leo rolled his eyes and turned back to the wheel. "You're no fun anymore. What's the matter?"

"I'm tired."

"Coffee?"

"Please." Louisa smiled and left. Leo had busted the coffee machine in the control room and hadn't got around to fixing it, even though that should have been a top priority.

Footsteps sounded behind him. Louisa had only been gone thirty seconds. Not enough time to fetch him and herself a coffee and a new bag of marshmallows.

"This ship is impressive."

"Why thank you, _reina_." Argentum head-butted Leo's leg in greeting while Aurum curled around Leo's feet, lying down and getting comfortable. "For automatons, they're very life-like."

"Why are there marshmallows everywhere? And what happened to that one?" Argentum barked at the melted marshmallow before eating it up. "Arge!"

"Arge?" Leo couldn't help but smile at the nickname for the automaton greyhound. Reyna glowered at him, daring him to defy her decision. Leo dutifully remained quiet.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Lou." He replied, as if that summed everything up.

"Wut?" Leo turned and saw his best friend standing in the doorway with two cups of coffee and a bag of marshmallows. "Hey, Reyna."

"Louisa."

"Why'd ya say ma name, Torch?"

"Reyna asked why there were marshmallows everywhere."

"D'ya want a coffee?" Louisa asked the praetor.

"I'm fine thanks."

"Oh good. I don't have ta walk all the way back now."

"Lou, it's not far."

"Have you seen how many bloody demigods are in the hallways?!"

"No, I've been in here."

"Can I throw 'em overboard?"

"No." Leo and Reyna said together. Louisa looked from one to the other. "Can I have my coffee now?" Leo asked, changing the topic.

"Can I throw Octavian overboard?"

"Yes." Leo said.

"No." Reyna said.

"It's my ship." Leo argued.

"He's my augur."

"He's a git." Louisa interrupted. She sipped at her coffee and pulled a face. "Wrong one." She exchanged coffees with Leo, sipping it warily. "Better. You have way too much sugar."

"Sorry." Leo muttered, highly unapologetic. Louisa checked her watch.

"Ugh, gotta go 'n' meet Percy…"

"Why?"

"Dunno, don't really care, but I _have to_." Louisa left, waving at them. The door closed behind her, leaving Leo with Reyna and two potentially dangerous automatons. The dogs were being quite friendly. At the moment. Leo wasn't sure if he should be more worried about the dogs or Reyna.

"She's a good friend." Reyna commented.

"She's brilliant. A pain in the ass though." Leo chugged his coffee. "Crazy girl." Leo smiled at her. "She tried to kill me when I first met her like you did."

"She's very good." Reyna said seriously.

"Jason said he knew Lou from way back."

"Yes, we helped her when she was attacked by several monsters in a mortal shopping wall. We sensed her power and decided to investigate personally."

"You can sense power?"

"Only when we have a demigod to find. It's part of the job as a praetor."

"That's cool. See, the satyrs- or fauns, for you Romans- do that job. They say they smell funny and that's why they can find them." Leo paused. "Well, not smell funny as in weird smelly, but a demigod scent that they… nevermind." Leo shook his head.

"How long until we get to camp?"

"About two hours. Why? I thought you didn't want to go back."

"Not particularly, but a few Romans are homesick. And air sick."

"My bad." Leo replied. "Festus!" He called. The dragon masthead turned its head towards Leo slightly. Reyna heard a series of clicks and whines. "I know buddy, but I'll get the gang together and we'll clean the ship from top to bottom, yeah?" Another load of clicks and whirs. "Good dragon head."

"Did-? What-?"

"Festus. My pet dragon."

"You called your dragon 'happy'?"

"Yeah. So?"

"You amaze me, Leo Valdez." Reyna studied him curiously, with slight amusement. "You're very strange."

"Gee, aren't you nice?"

* * *

**Change of plans- this might be a two-shot or whatever as I'm tired and am now going to bed. Hope it's OK. **


End file.
